The US ports are in chaos, and the strike on the East coast of the US may spread to the West Coast ports
This is a serious problem for shipping companies, terminal operators and the country as a whole, Port employers along the East Coast and Gulf Coast are nervously awaiting the end of an Oct. 1 strike deadline set by the International Longshoremen's Association.
The current six-year ILA master contract, which covers longshoremen and other port employees from Maine to Houston, expires Sept. 30. No contract negotiations have been scheduled.
The main issues are wages, benefits and automation. The employers, represented by the United States Maritime Exchange (USMX), said publicly that they had made a good-faith offer to the union, but gave no details. The union represents 45,000 workers at 36 ports. The union has refused to consider any proposals, portraying them as a fight for fair wages against "greedy" foreign companies raking in billions of dollars in profits off the backs of American workers.
Now, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union has given considerable support to the International Shipping Association. ILWU represents tens of thousands of longshoremen at West Coast ports, including the Port of Los Angeles-Long Beach, the nation's busiest container gateway
"As you continue to negotiate and approach the expiration of your contract, the International Labor Federation stands with the International Labor Federation in fighting for a fair contract that respects longshoremen and protects our jurisdiction," Willie Adams, president of the International Labor Federation, said in a letter dated Aug. 16. "From coast to coast, labor unions and the International Labor Association remain active in the fight against automation. We will not settle for a substandard agreement that does not adequately address our concerns about the future of the workplace and the safety of our employees."
The union approved a new master contract with the employer in August 2023.
The ILA port handles about half of the country's trade.
Adams' letter sparked speculation that the International Labor Federation might strike out of sympathy, particularly against ships diverted from East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. But one expert said a prolonged shutdown was unlikely.
Susan Kohn Ross, an attorney specializing in customs and trade at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp in Los Angeles, said in an email: "With existing contracts on the West Coast, there may be a one-day shutdown, But there is no reason for ILWU members to strike based on ILWU conditions." "So, if they do that, I expect the shipping companies will get an injunction to force shore workers to get back to work as soon as possible!"
So far, Ross said, "surprisingly few" shipments have been diverted to the West Coast, although she added that appears to be starting to change.
Ross also recalled strikes along the West Coast in 2012. The union workers initially gained substantial public support and succeeded in closing the port. "The workers are continuing to strike and a lot of people are siding with them until the wage numbers are announced," Ross said.
The current six-year ILA master contract, which covers longshoremen and other port employees from Maine to Houston, expires Sept. 30. No contract negotiations have been scheduled.
The main issues are wages, benefits and automation. The employers, represented by the United States Maritime Exchange (USMX), said publicly that they had made a good-faith offer to the union, but gave no details. The union represents 45,000 workers at 36 ports. The union has refused to consider any proposals, portraying them as a fight for fair wages against "greedy" foreign companies raking in billions of dollars in profits off the backs of American workers.
Now, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union has given considerable support to the International Shipping Association. ILWU represents tens of thousands of longshoremen at West Coast ports, including the Port of Los Angeles-Long Beach, the nation's busiest container gateway
"As you continue to negotiate and approach the expiration of your contract, the International Labor Federation stands with the International Labor Federation in fighting for a fair contract that respects longshoremen and protects our jurisdiction," Willie Adams, president of the International Labor Federation, said in a letter dated Aug. 16. "From coast to coast, labor unions and the International Labor Association remain active in the fight against automation. We will not settle for a substandard agreement that does not adequately address our concerns about the future of the workplace and the safety of our employees."
The union approved a new master contract with the employer in August 2023.
The ILA port handles about half of the country's trade.
Adams' letter sparked speculation that the International Labor Federation might strike out of sympathy, particularly against ships diverted from East Coast and Gulf Coast ports. But one expert said a prolonged shutdown was unlikely.
Susan Kohn Ross, an attorney specializing in customs and trade at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp in Los Angeles, said in an email: "With existing contracts on the West Coast, there may be a one-day shutdown, But there is no reason for ILWU members to strike based on ILWU conditions." "So, if they do that, I expect the shipping companies will get an injunction to force shore workers to get back to work as soon as possible!"
So far, Ross said, "surprisingly few" shipments have been diverted to the West Coast, although she added that appears to be starting to change.
Ross also recalled strikes along the West Coast in 2012. The union workers initially gained substantial public support and succeeded in closing the port. "The workers are continuing to strike and a lot of people are siding with them until the wage numbers are announced," Ross said.
